In the middle of it all.

CHAPTER 23

Song: "Secrets." by Regard, RAYE.

*************************

Daxton wasn't sure what changed but he wasn't in the habit of questioning goodness. He supposed if he gave it a lot of thought, he'd praise Mikayla for their luck changing. Her ridiculous scheme had disaster written all over it yet, it became the catalyst for change. After the night of bad dares and bold truths, Nick and Annabelle had hidden away for two days. Daxton had assumed it meant they needed time to reconnect. He'd love that time with Mikayla.

The shouting suggested otherwise.

He'd been concerned. He needed his friends to sort out their differences. Thankfully, it seemed they agreed. Their union was unusual and probably the cause for their habitual miscommunication now. What was real, was their love and despite the confusion in their argument, they still felt strongly towards each other.

It only took two extra days, but they were finally gone. Happily.

Life progressed quickly after their departure. Mikayla and Daxton settled back into their work schedules. While she left to teach, Daxton stayed at home, managing his brother. The news of his pending nuptials to Mikayla was still a hot topic. Cameron's sobriety was an even bigger topic. The opinions were varied. Many were convinced Cameron had seen a bright light at the end of his dark tunnel and come out stronger. Some were waiting until he fell again. Then, there were the minority who were smart. They knew it was a hoax. Daxton needed to find a way to convince them otherwise.

"I can't do this anymore," cried Cameron. He plopped heavily into the chair across from Daxton. Daxton had his laptop open. Budgets always made him anxious, but Cameron was useless at it.

"What can't you do?" mumbled Daxton. It was the same kind of conversation each day. Cameron would plead for freedom and Daxton would shut him down quickly. Daxton was more over it than Cameron.

"I'm bored. How am I supposed to maintain sobriety when I'm bored all the time?"

Daxton laughed. "What does boredom have to do with your sobriety?"

"It's like you don't know me at all." He deadpanned. "Boredom makes me want to drink. It's more exciting than reruns anyway."

"You love reruns," reasoned Daxton.

"Yeah, but at what point does re-watching the same reruns for weeks become too much?" Daxton laughed and closed his laptop. "I'm serious. I need to do something more with myself. Sabrina thinks so too."

"Sabrina?"

Cameron rolled his eyes. "My therapist."

"Dr. Madison. When did you start calling her Sabrina?" Cameron shrugged. "Don't tell me you're sleeping with her? Dammit Cam. You can't keep doing this!"

Cameron shot up from his seat and jabbed a finger at his brother. "What the hell Dax? I'm not sleeping with her! Why do you assume the worst?"

"Because you always do the worst. It's who you are."

"I'm not like that anymore." Daxton scoffed. Cameron stepped forward resolutely. "I'm serious. I'm making an effort to change this time. Not that you seem to care. You just assume I'm a deadbeat, nothing who only causes problems. If it weren't for me, we wouldn't be living as well as we do."

Daxton glared at him. "If it weren't for me, we'd both be dead!"

Cameron bit his lip. "You can't keep holding that against me." Daxton stared at the floor. "I didn't put us in that position."

"No, but I'm the one who got us out of it. If I hadn't, who knows what may have come out of us."

Cameron sighed and fell back into his seat. He watched Daxton pace clumsily across the study floor. "We don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. We haven't needed to for years. I'm grateful I had you to protect me but, it's time you stopped controlling my life now. I don't need the protection anymore."